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- Author or Editor: Eduard Jose-Cunilleras x
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prognostic value of measuring heart rate variability (HRV) in horses with colic at the time of admission to a referral hospital.
ANIMALS
51 horses > 1 year of age with colic (41 that survived [survivors] and 10 that died or were euthanized [nonsurvivors]).
PROCEDURES
HRV was recorded within 1 hour after admission by use of heart rate sensors with horses restrained in stocks. A 5-minute recording period was analyzed to obtain HRV measurements (eg, SD of R-R intervals [SDRR], root mean square of successive differences between R-R intervals [RMSSD], and geometric SDs determined from Poincaré plots [SD1 and SD2]). Variables associated with outcome (survival vs nonsurvival) were identified. Measurements were compared among diagnostic categories for colic (obstructive, inflammatory, or ischemic).
RESULTS
SDRR and RMSSD were significantly higher in survivors (median [25th to 75th percentile], 91.0 milliseconds [78.9 to 114.6 milliseconds] and 64.8 milliseconds [40.9 to 78.4 milliseconds], respectively) than in nonsurvivors (50.7 milliseconds [29.1 to 69.2 milliseconds] and 33.4 milliseconds [12.6 to 47.9 milliseconds], respectively). Similarly, SD1 and SD2 were significantly higher in survivors (48.3 milliseconds [28.9 to 60.9 milliseconds] and 111.3 milliseconds [93.0 to 146.6 milliseconds], respectively) than in nonsurvivors (23.7 milliseconds [8.9 to 33.9 milliseconds] and 65.1 milliseconds [33.7 to 91.9 milliseconds], respectively). The SDRR and SD2 were significantly higher for horses with obstructive colic than for horses with ischemic colic.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Analysis of HRV in horses with colic may provide information on the underlying cause and be helpful in identifying horses less likely to survive.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate horses with atrial fibrillation for hypercoagulability; plasma D-dimer concentrations, as a marker of a procoagulant state; and a relationship between coagulation profile results and duration of atrial fibrillation or presence of structural heart disease.
DESIGN Case-control study.
ANIMALS Plasma samples from 42 horses (25 with atrial fibrillation and 17 without cardiovascular or systemic disease [control group]).
PROCEDURES Results of hematologic tests (ie, plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer concentrations, prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin times, and antithrombin activity) in horses were recorded to assess coagulation and fibrinolysis. Historical and clinical variables, as associated with a hypercoagulable state in other species, were also recorded.
RESULTS Horses with atrial fibrillation and control horses lacked clinical signs of hypercoagulation or thromboembolism. Compared with control horses, horses with atrial fibrillation had significantly lower antithrombin activity. No significant differences in plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer concentrations and prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin times existed between horse groups. In horses with atrial fibrillation versus control horses, a significantly larger proportion had an abnormal plasma D-dimer concentration (10/25 vs 2/17), test results indicative of subclinical activated coagulation (18/25 vs 6/17), or abnormal coagulation test results (25/121 vs 7/85), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Horses with atrial fibrillation did not have clinical evidence of a hypercoagulable state, but a higher proportion of horses with atrial fibrillation, compared with control horses, did have subclinical activated coagulation on the basis of standard coagulation test results.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) among elite endurance horses after competition in a long-distance race.
ANIMALS
20 endurance horses and 12 nonexercised or minimally exercised age-, breed-, and trainer-matched horses from the same environment (control horses).
PROCEDURES
Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples collected from endurance horses at 3 to 8 days (sample A) and 36 to 38 days (sample B) after the race (100 km in 1 day [n = 3], 70 km/d for 2 days [12], or 100 km/d for 2 days [5]) were cytologically examined for the presence of hemosiderophages. Samples from control horses were collected at the same time as sample B was obtained from respective matched endurance horses and similarly examined. Horses with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples in which > 1% of identified cells were hemosiderophages were considered to have evidence of EIPH.
RESULTS
Of 20 endurance horses, 9 (45%; 95% confidence interval, 25% to 66%) and 10 (50%; 95% confidence interval, 29% to 71%) had cytologic evidence of EIPH in samples A and B, respectively. Evidence of EIPH was present in 6 of 20 (30%) horses at both sample collection times, 3 (15%) at the first sample time only, and 4 (20%) at the second sample time only. In contrast, 1 of 12 control horses had cytologic evidence of EIPH.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
The prevalence of EIPH in these elite endurance horses (45% to 50%) was higher than previously reported estimates for poor-performing endurance horses; however, differences in criteria for identification of EIPH should be considered when comparing findings between studies.
Abstract
Objective—To compare results of intradermal tests (IDT), conducted using environmental allergens, in horses without atopy and horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Animals—38 horses (22 horses without atopy and 16 horses with COPD).
Procedure—All horses were examined (physical examination, hematologic examination, serum biochemical analyses, examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid). An IDT was conducted, using a full panel of 73 allergens consisting of grasses, weeds, trees, molds, and insects. Results of the IDT were evaluated 30 minutes and 4, 6, and 24 hours after injection of allergens. Horses without atopy were euthanatized, and gross and histologic changes of lung parenchyma were assessed.
Results—Horses without atopy had a greater number of positive immediate and late-phase reactions than did horses with COPD. Horses with COPD did not have a significantly greater number of positive reactions than horses without atopy at any time period for any allergen group (grasses, weeds, trees, molds, and insects).
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Positive results of IDT document allergen-specific hypersensitivity but do not necessarily distinguish clinically relevant reactions from subclinical reactivity in horses with COPD. Interpreting the clinical relevance of results of IDT requires a thorough knowledge of the medical history, physical examination findings, and environment of each animal. (Am J Vet Res 2001;62:389–397)
Abstract
Objective—To clone and sequence cDNA for equine insulin-responsive glucose transporter (glucose transporter type 4 [GLUT-4]) and determine effects of glycogen-depleting exercise and meal type after exercise on GLUT-4 gene expression in skeletal muscle of horses.
Animals—Muscle biopsy specimens from 7 healthy adult horses.
Procedure—Total RNA was extracted from specimens, and GLUT-4 cDNA was synthesized and sequenced. Horses were exercised on 3 consecutive days. On the third day of exercise, for 8 hours after exercise, horses were either not fed, fed half of daily energy requirements as hay, or fed an isocaloric amount of corn. The GLUT-4 mRNA was determined by use of realtime reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in muscle biopsy specimens obtained before 3 consecutive days of exercise and within 10 minutes and 4, 8, and 24 hours after the third exercise bout.
Results—A 1,629-bp segment was sequenced, of which 1,530 bp corresponded to the coding region and encoded a protein of 509 amino acids. Expression of GLUT-4 gene increased by 2.3, 4.3, 3.3, and 2.6 times 10 minutes and 4, 8, and 24 hours after exercise, respectively, compared with that prior to exercise. No differences were observed in GLUT-4 gene expression among conditions of feed withholding, corn feeding, and hay feeding during the 8 hours postexercise.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Lack of increase of GLUT-4 gene expression after grain feeding and exercise may explain the apparently slower rate of glycogen synthesis after exercise in horses relative to that of other species. (Am J Vet Res 2005;66:379–385)
Abstract
Objective—To compare responses to a variety of intradermally injected allergens among healthy horses and horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), recurrent urticaria (RU), and atopic dermatitis-insect hypersensitivity (allergic dermatitis [AD]).
Design—Case-control study.
Animals—86 horses.
Procedure—Results of intradermal testing for horses with COPD, RU, or AD were compared with results for healthy horses.
Results—Compared with healthy horses, horses with COPD, RU, and AD were significantly more likely to have positive (≥ 3+) reactions to intradermal allergens (molds, weeds, trees, grasses-crops, and insects) 30 minutes (immediate reaction), 4 hours (late-phase reactions), and 24 hours (delayed-phase reactions) after exposure. In addition, diseased horses reacted to a significantly higher number of allergens in each allergen group than did healthy horses.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Reactions to individual allergens should not be used to determine that horses have hypersensitivity. Overall patterns of reactivity to intradermal allergens may be helpful in management when used in conjunction with a compatible history and evidence of potential exposure to allergens in horses with conditions associated with hypersensitivity to environmental allergens. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001;62:1115–1121)
Abstract
Objective—To determine the impact of successive days of endurance exercise on select serum chemistry values in conditioned Alaskan sled dogs.
Design—Prospective cohort study.
Animals—10 conditioned Alaskan sled dogs.
Procedures—All dogs ran 160 km/d for 5 consecutive days. Serum was obtained prior to exercise and immediately after each exercise run; all samples were obtained before dogs were fed. Serum electrolyte, mineral, protein, total bilirubin, urea nitrogen, creatinine, and cardiac troponin-I concentrations and serum alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransfer-ase, creatine kinase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities were measured. Data were analyzed by means of analysis of covariance for a randomized complete block design with dog as a blocking variable, time as a covariate, and distance run as the treatment of interest. Least square mean values were compared with values obtained prior to exercise, and linear and quadratic contrasts were examined.
Results—Serum globulin concentration was low prior to exercise (mean ± SD, 2.2 ± 0.3g/dL) and progressively decreased as exercise continued. Exercise was associated with increases in serum chloride, urea nitrogen, and cardiac troponin-I concentrations and serum alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities and with pro-gressive decreases in serum potassium, total protein, and albumin concentrations.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggested that multiple successive days of endurance exercise resulted in mild aberrations in serum chemistry variables in conditioned sled dogs. Changes likely reflected the metabolic stresses of prolonged endurance exercise as well as dietary composition. Hypoglobulinemia in resting, conditioned sled dogs may reflect the immunosuppressive or catabolic effects of intense endurance training.
